About

Prof. Paglione's main field is microwave spectroscopy of interstellar molecular clouds. He studies primarily the very largest clouds in galaxies, which form the most massive stars. These stars live furiously, greatly affecting their surroundings with their winds and radiation, then die dramatically in giant explosions that enrich the interstellar medium in heavy elements. Their lives are relatively brief as well ("only" 10 million years or less) so their impact is not only profound but immediate. Certain galaxies known as starbursts create numerous clusters of these massive stars in their centers. Dr. Paglione studies the gas that forms these stars in starbursts and in our own, normal, Milky Way Galaxy, estimating their physical properties and comparing them with the galaxy dynamics. Dr. Paglione also studies the gamma-ray emission from starburst galaxies and the Milky Way, which originates from supernovae and their particle reactions and other high energy emission mechanisms.